


It's not in the Rule Book

by Sylenis



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Keith (Voltron), Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Confessions, F/M, Fluff, Pidge thinks these things through, implied anyway, impromptu movie night love confession, probably grey?, some internalised panic but it's shut down quick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 18:50:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17330471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylenis/pseuds/Sylenis
Summary: "Why, what do you do when you have... the feelings?""I take those feelings, and I put them in a bottle and I launch them into space."Movie night-turned-confession.





	It's not in the Rule Book

**Author's Note:**

> This is my ideal Kidge love confession- no miscommunications or massive angst (there's always gonna be angst when one character has canonical trust and intimacy issues) just a "hey we should discuss this at our own pace."
> 
> I HC one or both of them as on the ace spectrum. 
> 
> ([ Please come check this charm idea I drew, I'm super giddy over it and I'm gonna order some probably](https://twitter.com/FeatherStitched/status/1081981854704693248))

_____________

 

"I'm attracted to you."  
Keith's entire world stopped, and yet the movie carried on playing. The engines of the ship carried on humming. He tried to dredge up an eloquent response as he rearranged his mouth into a working shape before blurting "hu-wha?"  
  
"I'm attracted to you. In a... romantic way." Pidge repeated, jiggling her foot where it was propped on the low table in front of them.  
Not normally one to slow her rambles, this had to be a record, even for Pidge. The words tumbled from her lips, a slight tremor to the attempt at a calm tone, "I spent a lot of time thinking about it, trying to determine my feelings and put a name to them. I even looked online a few times before I came to this conclusion. Then, because I know that neither of us are the best at social interaction or picking up on social cues, I decided that the best plan would be to directly tell you. Even though it's probably going to be embarrassing, it's probably the quickest way to move forward, and that's what I want-"  
"Slow down, Pidge." Keith fumbled for a moment. He should probably pause the movie. He should probably move the bowl of popcorn from between them, rearrange their positions on the couch so they could talk properly. Yet right now his mind was running those four words on repeat.  
  
"You like me?" He finally managed, and Pidge laughed, not the response he expected.  
"See? Socially awkward, both of us. 'you like me'? What are you, fourteen?"  
"Pidge." He huffed, shifting around under their shared blanket to better face her, though the glare from the television screen reflected off her glasses, shielding her eyes.   
"Just trying to keep the mood light." She said with a lopsided grin. "I don't want things to be awkward, though I can fully understand if I have made them like that- my plans don't always go well when it comes to talking about feelings and I do really value our friendship so it was hard to-"  
"I like you too." He interrupted, before she could get lost in her speech again.

  
It was her turn to do an impression of a goldfish, "Wait- You do?"  
  
"Of course. You're clever, funny and- and... you're great." He finished with a breath, wishing he could kick his brain into gear and actually come up with something more articulate than 'you're great'.  _How awkward indeed_ , he mentally kicked himself. "Sorry, Pidge. I've never really done this before-"  
  
Pidge snorted, "Really."   
He couldn't tell if that was sarcasm and he bristled. It was hardly as if dating had ever been at the forefront of his mind while running missions under Kolivan, or piloting Black, or fighting Galra drones. Shepherding civilians, transporting supplies and recruiting new members of a budding relief effort didn't exactly scream of an abundance of romantic prospects.  
Lance's ability to fall in love with any pretty face had always baffled him. For Keith, trust seemed to be a more important factor. He had liked Pidge well enough when they met, but it had been a slow progression to the feelings he harbored now. Even then, there was always something else going on, something more important.  
  
His instincts were to shut down, to go stony faced and end this nerve churning conversation so that he could get relief from the heat on his face and heavy thrum of his pulse, but this was Pidge. Clever, brave, fierce Pidge who he could never hurt. Pidge who never minced her words and even now believed in honesty. He'd die before intentionally hurting her, especially if it meant being dishonest in return. The idea of it was enough for him to swallow and attempt a nonchalant shrug.  
"I've always had more to think about. And I find it hard to, feel like that for people I don't know well? I had to get to know you before I thought I might like you, in that way."   
  
Pidge hummed thoughtfully in response, tapping her knees where they were brought up to her chest. "That makes sense. I can't say as I spend a lot of time thinking about all that hand holding and romantic jargon, especially for people I've just met."  
"Do you ever think about romantic jargon... with me then?" Keith surprised them both with his question, and Pidge looked shifty.  
"....Sometimes." She grunted, "do you?"  
"Sometimes."  
For a moment neither of them said anything, then they both burst into laughter at the ridiculousness of it all. Two grown-ass twenty-somethings sitting in the dark dancing around their feelings. Part of it for Keith was relief. She seemed to get it, to understand, so far anyway.  
  
Keith managed to stop first, and watched fondly as Pidge wiped tears of mirth from her eyes, her giggles subsiding into little puffs of air.  
"I have to say," she said, corners of her mouth still twitching up, "this wasn't in any of the scenarios I planned for."  
"Please tell me you didn't create some sort of simulator for this." He laughed again as she flushed.  
"No! But there may have been a couple of pro-con lists..." She admitted, then glared up at him playfully, "why, what do you do when you have... _the feelings_?"  
"I take those feelings, and I put them in a bottle and I launch them into space."  
"Sounds like you." She said and they laughed again.  
"So..." Pidge went back to tapping her fingers on her knees, "What now?"  
  
What now? Wasn't that just the million dollar question. The feelings were mutual, they'd agreed that much. He'd never done anything like this though, and had Pidge? He felt sure if she'd had a significant other at any point while she'd been working on Earth, the teasing and gossip from Lance and Hunk or Matt would have reached him. Right? And she'd been working on Earth while he was jettisoned in all directions through space on various missions. Talk about long distance- some people lived in different cities, or countries, but across galaxies? Was that a thing? Never mind that- right now she was right here, in his quarters, on his couch, under one of his blankets, looking up at him expectantly.  
  
What was she expecting? Would she want him to initiate something? Kiss her? He swallowed at the thought. He wasn't good at this. There had been a few fumbled experiments with other young members of the Blade back in the day, but they'd mostly set him even firmer in his belief that he had a distinct lack of interest in romance or sex. At least not with people he didn't know. Would Pidge even be OK with that? That he'd fooled around with aliens? What about the fact that _he_ was technically an alien? She'd known he was Galra for years, but it was easy to forget when his face was human.   
  
He'd thought he'd liked people before, but whenever anything had changed from a fleeting fancy to something that could be tangible, he'd lose all interest. What if he only  _thought_ he liked her, but if they attempted any sort of relationship he'd suddenly feel that same apathy towards her? He didn't want that. He'd sort of hoped eventually his feelings would solidify into something he could define as a yes, he wanted the whole thing and could tell her so, or no, he was fucking broken and would only disappoint her-  
  
"Keith." His name shocked him out of his thoughts and he looked down into her face. Her head was cocked to one side, lips pursed. "How about we just finish the movie?"   
What?  
"The movie?" He repeated, even more confused, "I thought we were talking about..." He waved his hand idly in the air, "...This? Stuff?"  
"I see no rule book that says the dynamic of our relationship has to change immediately upon a confession of attraction." She said, her tone matter of fact before it softened again, "Also you seem to be freaking out a little. I don't want to upset you or push you. Part of the reason I like you so much is it's easy to be with you. We have the same horrible taste in movies. You're funny when you want to be. You don't always want to talk my ears off, but when you do it feels like an expression of trust. I feel comfortable with you and I don't want any of that to change."   
Some of the tension left his shoulders at her words and he was able to exhale.  
"Me neither. I like us too."  
"So let's just go slow. Maybe we should sleep on it, and talk more another time? Nothing has to change, not unless we decide to make changes."  
  
And this was why he liked her. Sweet Pidge- when she wanted to be. Logical Pidge. With barely any effort she'd talked him down from the panic that had been rising in his throat. His eyes darted to the screen, and then back to her face, calm and waiting, and he relaxed. "Good idea."  
"Well, I always was the brains of the outfit."   
He snorted and sank back against the cushions of the couch, watching her as she began fiddling with the remote, rewinding back to a familiar scene before popping it away and rearranging the blankets back to how they'd been. 

  
As the movie began playing again, he let his hand creep across the space between them, searching for hers. The light from the screen outlined her arm, and he followed it with his eyes to her knee where her left hand still rested.  
Side eyeing her closely for any reaction that she might not want this, he entwined his fingers through hers. When her arm moved he almost flinched back, but it was only to bring them into the no- man's land between them, turn her palm up and open her fingers out so that his larger hand could fit between hers better. Triumph bubbled in his chest, drowning and replacing the panic as the warmth of her skin flooded his, soft fabric of her over-long sleeves brushing his wrist. Nothing changed- she was still Pidge, he was still Keith, and the special effects in this movie were still laughably terrible- and yet everything was slightly different.  
  
Okay, if he was this giddy just from holding her hand, maybe he  _could_ do this. 

**Author's Note:**

> I debated posting this because I originally thought of it as part of the visiting series, but it was like the second thing I wrote so I figured I'd post it as some of my other documents have gotten away from me.
> 
> I HC one or both of them as on the ace spectrum. Probably Grey, and they'd have to ease into an... "intimate" relationship ( and by that I mean, holding hands, cuddling, kissing would be fine but, nothing below the belt for a long time- being ace doesn't always mean you shy away from any physical affection, it's different for everyone but I read so many where the ace character just can't be touched and while that's true for some, I'd love to see more that is like myself and my ace friends- enjoying affection, but none of that naughty stuff, mister. It's not a dig at anyone either bc I know there is no one way to be ace, trust me on that) 
> 
> I think this would be something Keith would struggle with and not really understand, especially as a teen. Pidge probably wouldn't be as bothered, just "well it would just eat into the time I could be spending tinkering or learning or doing cool space shit" and just accept it about herself.
> 
> ...And of course it wouldn't even occur to Pidge that Keith's technically an alien. If she did remember or have it pointed out she'd probably add "dating an alien" to the Pro side of the list. Both Holt siblings are such massive nerds, aliens and robots tick all the boxes.
> 
>  
> 
> [ Please come check this charm idea I drew, I'm super giddy over it and I'm gonna order some probably](https://twitter.com/FeatherStitched/status/1081981854704693248)  
> 


End file.
